TheSamba.com :: View topic - My generator to alternator conversion

Mon May 18, 2009 8:14 am

Hey Dirt

have you got a pic of the finished alt install?

Mon May 18, 2009 3:43 pm

68notch wrote: Hey Dirt

have you got a pic of the finished alt install?

Not on me (I'm at work) but I will take one tomorrow. I'm going to do a detailed 'how-to' for Toby. Hopefully in the next week or two.

Wed May 27, 2009 12:30 am

68notch wrote: Hey Dirt

have you got a pic of the finished alt install?

sorry that took so long.

I started with a grinder but in the end the best way to remove the lip was a hacksaw. After I had most of what I wanted removed I used a grinder to smooth it out.

If you look at the shim used by 69sqbck on the first page it's much larger. I think this is because of the different methods we used to make the alternator fit. I couldn't find any thin metal to use for the shim... So I cut up an old steel server case that I was getting ready to throw away.

All done.

I ended up using the same amount of spacers in the pulley as I did to keep the belt tight with the generator.

In hindsight I wouldn't hesitate to do this again if I needed another alternator. 30 minutes with a hacksaw, minor trim on the generator strap, a little shim and you're done.

Wed May 27, 2009 4:19 am

Hey Dirt:

That looks great, much cleaner install than mine. When I do this again, I will follow your install ideas. Good to see someone research, study and then make a good idea better!!

Wed May 27, 2009 7:42 am

69sqbck wrote: Hey Dirt:

That looks great, much cleaner install than mine. When I do this again, I will follow your install ideas. Good to see someone research, study and then make a good idea better!!

Thanks. :)

Wed May 27, 2009 7:43 am

the pulley doesn't seem to be lined up with the belt in this shot... optical illusion or do you need to tweak it a bit?

Wed May 27, 2009 9:29 am

RafCarre12 wrote:
the pulley doesn't seem to be lined up with the belt in this shot... optical illusion or do you need to tweak it a bit?
+1

Wed May 27, 2009 12:12 pm

RafCarre12 wrote: the pulley doesn't seem to be lined up with the belt in this shot... optical illusion or do you need to tweak it a bit?

That's a good observation. it isn't a 90 degree angle, however that pic makes it look worse than it really is. I am going to put another small shim on the other side and opposite end of the alternator to get it perfect. I actually had one of my friends look at it the next day and he had to stare at the thing for a minute before he saw that it was a little off.

It's an easy fix but I took that pic at 3:45AM so I wasn't to excited about doing it that night, but I will soon enough.

Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:12 pm

this helped me out alot, thanks for the write up. One thing though, did you connect the D+ wire to the alternator post or did you connect a battery cable to it?

Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:25 pm

czykvw wrote: this helped me out alot, thanks for the write up. One thing though, did you connect the D+ wire to the alternator post or did you connect a battery cable to it?

Thanks, I'm glad it helped.

Here's how I have it wired. The red power wire comes off the battery and where it used to hook up to voltage regulator it now does a Y. One goes up front to the fuse box, the other back to the alternator. The green idiot wire connects to the alternator. See this pic from 69sqbck's car...

I'm pretty positive everything else is disconnected, I'll look tonight though.

Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:45 pm

looks good(way beter that the mazda one or whatever iteration someone out there has)....don't wait till you need one to buy and mod an extra one......and remember the second one will take 1/2 the time....and its more than worth it to have one that looks appropriate and utillizes all vw type hardware....

Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:45 pm

dcdubs wrote: looks good(way beter that the mazda one or whatever iteration someone out there has)....don't wait till you need one to buy and mod an extra one......and remember the second one will take 1/2 the time....and its more than worth it to have one that looks appropriate and utillizes all vw type hardware....

Well thank you, but I don't know that I've ever seen a good looking alternator. ;) For a gen 2 alt conversion (IMHO) I don't care if it's a metro, a rx7, or a T1 VW alternator. The big factors were

1. How easy is it to replace?
2. Is the amperage you get from the alternator worth the $?
3. How much and what do I need to modify to get it to fit? I like to tinker, but I don't want to reinvent the wheel for 55 amps.

I like this alternator. I'm sure others are just as good.

Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:51 pm

just seen this thread ad czykvw's on this subject. Got a question, does the alternater still charge when its turning backwards? if its fitted the wrong way around in the typ3 , its actually turning anticlockwise when all vw's were designed to rotate clockwise.

RafCarre12 wrote:

Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:29 pm

It is my understanding that an alternator will produce electricity turning either direction.

Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:55 pm

pre52 wrote: just seen this thread ad czykvw's on this subject. Got a question, does the alternater still charge when its turning backwards? if its fitted the wrong way around in the typ3 , its actually turning anticlockwise when all vw's were designed to rotate clockwise.

if it doesn't charge then I have the best car battery known to man! Six or seven months of daily driving and it's still going strong.

Yes, it charges nicely. I now have the luxury of having the headlights AND the wipers on at the same time.

Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:45 pm

dirtsandwich wrote: 68notch wrote: Hey Dirt

have you got a pic of the finished alt install?

sorry that took so long.

I started with a grinder but in the end the best way to remove the lip was a hacksaw. After I had most of what I wanted removed I used a grinder to smooth it out.

If you look at the shim used by 69sqbck on the first page it's much larger. I think this is because of the different methods we used to make the alternator fit. I couldn't find any thin metal to use for the shim... So I cut up an old steel server case that I was getting ready to throw away.

All done.

I ended up using the same amount of spacers in the pulley as I did to keep the belt tight with the generator.

In hindsight I wouldn't hesitate to do this again if I needed another alternator. 30 minutes with a hacksaw, minor trim on the generator strap, a little shim and you're done.

Hey Mike, once you trimmed the bottom of the alt case, did you still have to dimple the cooling tin on the engine? Also how thick is the metal you're using for the shims? I'm only asking, because i've got a couple of those alternators floating around here, and I might want to try it out for myself. Thanks for any help you can offer. :D

Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:14 pm

Bobnotch wrote: Hey Mike, once you trimmed the bottom of the alt case, did you still have to dimple the cooling tin on the engine? Also how thick is the metal you're using for the shims? I'm only asking, because i've got a couple of those alternators floating around here, and I might want to try it out for myself. Thanks for any help you can offer. :D

nope, it doesn't touch the cooling tins at all. The metal for the shim is... pretty thin (maybe 18-20 gauge). I tore apart an old server case with a metal cutting wheel because I didn't have any sheet metal. and since it already had a 90 degree bend it worked perfectly.

Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:59 pm

Cool, Thanks. I really didn't want to modfy any tins just to make it work.

Fri Jun 19, 2009 1:38 pm

So Just to clarify, the only mod was to the alternator body itself, and you are still using the stock pulley and belt? with a couple shims thrown it for alignment?

If so this would definitely be the way to go :D

Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:37 pm

you have to grind a bit from the alt. and a small slit out of the cyl tin to let the alt bed down. no alignment shims mine lined right up, and all things related to the belt funtion as stock....make sure you set the B+ off to the side so it doesn't ground out on your engine lid and your good.